Crazy socks show support for our docs

Currently on rotation in Nepean Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit, Austin Lee is becoming increasingly familiar with a job that combines life-or-death responsibility with a demanding educational journey.

“Working as a Resident Medical Officer is a huge step up from being a medical student,” says Austin. “There’s suddenly a lot of pressure on you, and some junior doctors unfortunately don’t ask for help. Those are the situations where people can break down, both mentally and physically.”

Inspired to support his fellow clinicians, Dr Lee is advocating for people to join the ‘Crazy Socks 4 Docs’ campaign, a social movement founded by Australian Cardiologist, Dr Geoff Toogood.

The campaign encourages people to wear their most whacky and wild socks on the first Friday in June and share their pictures and messages on social media to help normalise conversations about mental health.

“Crazy Socks 4 Docs is a great idea because doctors’ mental health is often in danger,” says Austin. “We consistently face intense clinical situations, and patients can die in front of us at any moment. Unfortunately it’s unavoidable at all levels of medicine and we must look out for ourselves and colleagues around us.”

While all Health workers are supported by special programs and services to help maintain their mental and physical health, Dr Lee emphasises the simple value of a culture of positive and supportive relationships, which he is thankful to enjoy in his current rotation through Nepean Hospital’s ICU.

“Starting from the top and all the way to our junior level, the culture here is so warm and encouraging,” says Austin.

Creating a respectful and supportive culture in medicine is also the personal passion of Nepean Hospital’s Director of Medical Services, Dr Peter Thomas.

“Doctors health and wellbeing is critical to our ability to provide high quality clinical care to our patients and our community,” says Dr Thomas, who trained as an anaesthetist.

Nepean Hospital was an early adopter of state-wide initiatives that support the mental health of Junior Medical Officers (JMOs), including the JMO Safe Working Hours initiative and the JMO Wellbeing program, which Dr Thomas says demonstrates a “commitment to supporting and enhancing our medical workforce, especially when burnout or other mental health issues may arise.”